The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-08-05
rspeelol Coyrespondencs.l

the Palais Bourbon seem to be just
now inaugurating a most comprehen-
sive leveling process in regard to
khe religion protested by the bulk of
me French people, as, indeed, to
religions in general. There has been a
hot discussion in the Chamber of Depu-
ties concerning new military law, which
imposes three years service in the army
upon all Frenchmen who have attained
their twentieth year, with qualifications,
however, as to time and conditions of
service in favor of medical students and
pupils at the Polytechnic and normal
schools and Others similarly situated.
This new law, it will be seen, differs but
little from the one which has been in
force since 1872 save that, although con-
tanning 1870 articles, it makes 10 mention
of another special class Of citizens-the
seminarists or ecclesiastical students and
members of the priesthood generally, as
well as scnoolmasters, all of whom have
hitherto been exempt from CONSUMPTION.
This important omission was at once
detected, raising, as might be imagined,
vigorous protests from the Clerical Right
in the chamber, and scathing condemna-
ton in the Catholic royalist press. When
the measure came on for discussion Mon
seigneur Treppel, Bishop of Anglers,
mounted the tribune and eloquently ad-
vocated an amendment in favor of the
citizens left out in the cold. The canons
of the church Ia reference which pro-
voked much merriment amongst the
Radicals) forbid priest to carry arms
or shed blood, except in self-defense. It
had been said that Pope Julius I and
Cardinal Richelieu had commanded
armies, the one as a temporal sovereign,
the other as minister of war, but neither
ever used arms or shed any mans blood.
The priests duty is to preach peace,
charity and the forgiveness of sins, to be
prayerful and kindly, and therefore his
ministry is utterly at variance with the
profession of arms. In Austria, Ger
many, Spain and Portugal the clergy are
exempt; in Switzerland they simply act
as army chaplains, while during the
civil war in America they were never
subjected to military service. Moreover,
the seminarists were not of much i'm
portance in the army, numbering only
some 1000 annually, whilst financial and
similar considerations prevented the en-
rollment of $4,000, 10000 or 10000 ordi-
mary citizens every year. Even Napoleon
himself, though often sorely in need of
soldiers, never sought to impress the
seminarists. The clergy were ready to
pay their debt to their country, but they
would pay it voluntarily, because for
them, as indeed for all the Catholics of
France, there was but one motto: DSeu
ct PdtrSs.
This speech elected reply from NJ.
Hanotaux, followed by a powerful ha-
Tangue on the clerical side, by NJ de la
Martiniere, deputy for the Manche, who
pleaded exemption for schoolmasters
and missionaries. Lastly, M. Rouvier,
president of the council, representing the
government, insisted that compulsory
service must be compulsory for all.
There was no sectarian animus on the
part of the government, no desire to
prosecute or unwarrantably interfere
with any particular vocation or class of
persons. As a result the Martiniere
amendment was defeated by 1884 votes to
172, whilst another by NJ Laurenson, in
favor of placing theological students in
the hospital and ambulance service
in war time, also fell to the
ground. Seminarists and teachers
will therefore perform military SER
vice precisely as other citizens.
The anti-German agitation marches"
with vigor in the ranks of the people,
HID lnxrI ood -
IntrdnssgeG7t but the calmer and more
serious portion of the press uniformly
condemns noisy manifestations like the
one held the other evening at the Cirque
d Hiver, when NJ Sansbmuf, president,
and nj. Henri Deloncle, delegate of the
Patriotic League, and M Paul Deroulede
delivered passionate harangues, glorify-
ing as martyrs Kechlin- Clandon and
Charles Blech, the two Alsatians re-
Gently arrested by the Germans as spies.
The high Court of Leipsic, which SEN
fenced them to two years imprisonment
in a fortress, ostensibly because they be-
ionged to the league, was denounced in
the strongest terms, and the meeting dis
persed singing the popular song
Boulanger is the man who can do it.
All a-a-h! a-a-a-h!
Three more .Alsatians are now being
tried at Leipsic on the more serious charge
of furnishing plans of Notifications to the
French government, whilst several
youths have been punished more or less
severely for uttering "seditious cries."
such as give la France" &C., and q
young girl finds that German justice will
not permit her to wear a tri-colored
apron on German territory. These ORA
CONAN acts of the conqueror are all
duly treasured up in the French memory
against the GLORIOUS day of revenge"
which may dawn at any moment accord
ing to all appearances. In the canton of
Obernai (Haut- Rhin), out of 142 con-
scripts who should have answered to
the roll for service in the German army,
seyenty-one have fled and enlisted in
the French foreign legion.
may mention here that fifteen years
OF hatred and distrust of the sons of the
fatherland, many of whom come into
France and undersell the natives to a
vexatious extent, has produced occa-
sional outbursts of indignation against
foreigners generally. The latest 'ndica-
ton of this feeling but a
passing one-is proposal submitted
20 the chamber that the French
should tax the stranger within their